Jeddah
Jeddah’s past goes back to as far as the very beginning of the mankind. History reveals that after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Paradise, Eve came to live in Jeddah; meaning of Jeddah itself is grandmother. Some historians even claim that Eve is buried in Jeddah. It is one of the major ports near the Red Sea. Roads connect Jeddah with the larger cities in the country and an international airport is within the outskirts of the city. Jeddah’s existence can be traced back to 2,500 years when it was a tiny village, home of the Quda’a tribe, which survived on the great sumptuous variety of fish from the Red Sea. A commercial center, Jeddah also derives its income from port activities; it is the leading Saudi port for importing livestock, especially sheep and camels. Industries in the city include iron and steel plants, oil refineries, and the manufacture of bricks, furniture, and tiles. The residential area is the site of many diplomatic missions and ministries, and thousands of pilgrims pass through the city each year on their way to Mecca. Jeddah is about three centuries old and was surrounded by walls until 1947. Port facilities here were greatly expanded beginning in the 1970s. Jeddah acquired its prime importance when Caliph Othman bin Affan declared it the official port of the two holy cities, this marked a turning point in Jeddah’s future economic prosperity owing not only to the opening up of new vistas of commerce but also due to the arrival of pilgrims from all over the world. Today it hums glitters and resounds with industry, technology and cosmopolitan life.

City Tour

17.00

Proceed to Old City for walking tour of 55 minutes. Walk through Al Alawaii Souk to AL Shafi Mosque, Wali House, Nassif House (Land Mark of Old Jeddah),Oldest tree in Jeddah, Spices and Sandel Shop (more than 40 yrs old), Old Water System, Old Bakery and other preserved houses, Shopping in Old Souk.

18.30

Drive on the Corniche to enjoy the open Museum, Monuments & Sculptures.

20.30

Return to Hotel

Dinner can be arranged at one of the traditional restaurants in the old Jeddah city on request

Madain Saleh Madain Saleh is situated in the north western area of Saudi Arabia. It was created by the Nabetians (the same people who built the magnificent Petra in Jordan). Madain Saleh is a spectacular site.

Located several hundred kilometers north of Medinah is the ancient and now uninhabited city of Madain Saleh. It is the best known and the most spectacular archaeological site in Saudi Arabia. During its prime, it was an important stop on the caravan routes from the incense-producing areas of southern Arabia to Syria, Egypt, Byzantium and other points. The immense stone tombs which have made it famous were carved between 100BC and AD100 and the city itself was the second city in the Nabataean empire, after Petra in modern-day Jordan.

The magnificent tombs of Al-Hijr / Madain Saleh are carved in the mountains about 22 km northeast of Al-'Ula. In ancient times the site was located on the trade route linking the Arabian Peninsula with Yemen in the south and Syria in the north. The tribes of Thamud were the earliest inhabitants of this region, and were mentioned in the Holy Quran. The Thamuds denied the message of God as revealed by Prophet Saleh and killed the sacred she-camel. Thus the curse of God fell upon them and they were destroyed and buried under the sand.

The next inhabitants of the region were the Nabataeans. Settling in Al-Hijr, they developed Madain Saleh as their second capital to control northwestern Arabia. Their main capital was Petra in Jordan. It was the Nabataeans who carved their rock cut tombs in the hills.

Al-Hijr flourished again during the Islamic period as it became an important station on the Syrian / Egyptian pilgrimage route to Makkah. The present name of Madain Saleh, was given to it by an Andalusian traveler in the year 747 H (1336 AD)
There were railroad maintenance facility, a Railway depot and a fort of Ottoman troop in Madain Saleh at the time of the First World War.

City Tour (One Day)

06:30

Leave hotel for Madain Saleh & will be arriving approximately at 11:30. The tour will include visit to the following magnificent sights.
1. Al- Fareed Tomb.
2. Al-Daewan.
3. Girl's Palace.
4. Nabataen Well.
5. Khuraimat Site.
6. Khazaraf Tomb.
7. Hejaz Railway Station and the Ancient Train.
Lunch will be served in boxes next to Elephant Rock.